1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to games and more particularly to games used for gambling.
2. Description of Related Art
There are many wagering games used for gambling. Such games should be exciting to arouse players' interest and uncomplicated to be understood easily by a large number of players. Ideally, the games should include multiple opportunities for player skill during the course of the game, yet be able to be played rapidly to wager-resolving outcomes. Exciting play also provides the player with frequent small pay-outs and the opportunity for large jackpot wins.
Wagering games, particularly those intended primarily for play in casinos, should provide players with a sense of participation and control, the opportunity to make decisions, and reasonable odds of winning, even though the odds favor the house. A casino will never act as a bank for a game in which the average player has the advantage over the house. The game must also meet the requirements of the regulatory agencies.
One common apparatus used for gambling is a slot machine. Slot machines select symbols and determine pay-outs based on the combinations of symbols selected. Many slot machines have only one pay line and, therefore, only one primary set of symbols.
Other slot machines display nine symbols in a three-by-three matrix like a tic-tac-toe board. Some of these slot machines have three pay lines forming three primary sets in the horizontal directions but not shared secondary sets.
A slot machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,604 selects five symbols by spinning three slot wheels as depicted in FIG. 1. The left and right wheels select two symbols, one located above the center and another located below the center while the middle wheel selects one symbol for the center. Players win based on pay-out combinations in the two diagonal directions. This device contains two primary sets of symbols and a common shared secondary set of symbols. However, because the upper left and lower left symbols are on the same wheel, they have a conditional probability of one. Selection of one of the symbols in a particular location on the wheel guarantees selection of the other symbol on the wheel as well. Whenever multiple symbols are selected from the same wheel, the second symbol will always have a conditional probability of one.
Accordingly, one object of the invention is to provide a method of playing a game that uses more than one set of symbols to determine the outcome and payment.
Another object is to provide a method of playing a game that shares one or more symbols between sets.
A further object is to provide a wagering game where symbols are randomly selected, but players have some control over the outcome.